Senior Building Inspector - AFSCME 3092B Departmental Members ONLY - City of Newton

Job Description

Primary purpose:
Responsible for the enforcement of the780CMR MA State Building Code, The City of Newton Zoning Code, and local government building, zoning, occupancy, safety, fire, maintenance codes, municipal ordinances and other regulations regarding public safety, health and welfare; for conducting assigned building and facility site inspections for conformance to and violations of accepted regulations. Working hours are 7:00am – 4:00 pm – Monday through Friday.
 

Supervision:

Supervision Received: Reports to the Commissioner of Inspectional Services.

Supervision Given: General supervision of two to six (2 – 6) people, responsible for assigning, reviewing, checking work, and eliminating ordinary difficulties.
 

Essential Functions:

(The essential functions or duties listed are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.)

• Conducts assigned structural, mechanical and other building and facility inspections for conformance to established 780CMR MA State Building Code and local ordinances and codes. Ensures zoning, private, commercial, industrial property maintenance, occupancy and appearance codes are adhered to.
• Makes periodic field site inspections at assigned commercial and industrial locations, new home construction or existing building alterations.
• Assists in construction and alteration plan reviews and examinations; permit application reviews; field examinations and inspections for conformance to accepted plans. Interprets and enforces codes, statutes and ordinances. Notes variances, special permits, violations and follows up accordingly.
• May evaluate soils, materials and other tests.
• Assists in informing the public and contractors on code, permit and licensing requirements and compliance and in issuing approved permits, certificates of use and occupancy, inspections.
• Respond to inquiries from engineers, architects, contractors, the public and staff; and follows up and documents received complaints and violations of regulations.
• Attends and participates in staff, department or other meetings, hearings. Serves on assigned committees, task forces, commissions.
• Maintains required contacts to keep abreast of developments within field or areas of interest, liaison with community and other groups.
• Follows and adheres to department, City, State or other governmental rules, regulations, policies and procedures.

• Performs other duties as required.

  Secondary Elements:

• General supervision of 2 – 6 people, responsible for assigning, reviewing, checking work, and eliminating ordinary difficulties.
• Directs the activities and operations of building inspection unit in performance of duties. Assigns and reviews work. Assigns inspection counter attendance.
• Recommends and prepares new or revised ordinances as requested and informs the Commissioner.

Qualifications:

(To perform successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Strong customer service skills and multi-tasking are essential. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions. We encourage all candidates who feel they are capable of successfully performing the responsibilities as outlined in this position description, regardless of the qualifications listed below to apply.)

Education, Training and Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in the examination of plans associated with the construction and alteration of buildings and structures. Knowledge of clerical practices, office procedures and the operation of office equipment such as personal computers and computer software, data processing and/or word processing.
• A strong commitment to public service is required.

Special Requirements:

• Must be Massachusetts State certified as Local Inspector, if not must be capable of acquiring such within twelve months of employment. Prefer Inspector of Buildings/Building Commissioner.

Knowledge, Ability and Skill:

 Knowledge: Must have an in-depth and working knowledge of all ICC and Massachusetts Building Codes and a working knowledge of plumbing, gas, mechanical and electrical codes. Must have the ability to interpret and apply the Newton Zoning Ordinance. Must have a working knowledge of Massachusetts State Law 40A the Zoning Act, as pertains to enforcement and legal/court matters. Must show a personal commitment to educational advancement in the areas of policy, research, and negotiations.

Ability: Must have a demonstrated ability to supervise and direct personnel under their management. Ability to work effectively with diverse personalities under various levels of urgency. Adaptability and flexibility are essential. Excellent verbal communication skills. Tact and diplomacy are required at all times. Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions. Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out written or oral instructions. Ability and determination to solve problems involving clearly prescribed standardized practices.

Skill: Must have excellent interpersonal skills, communications skills, and negotiation skills. Must be able to effectively communicate in writing. Must be able to introduce, advocate, and implement changes to office procedure to effectuate necessary changes.

Work Environment

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Operates standard office equipment, multitask, interact with multiple people at the same time, be clear with instructions to people, prioritize tasks, etc.

Physical skills and effort:
(The physical demands described here represent those requirements that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

• The physical demands described here represent those requirements that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Employee must be able to walk, reach, bend, manipulate filing system, lift up to 30 pounds and/or stand for long periods of time.

Performance Standard:

• Employees at all levels are expected to effectively work together to meet the needs of the community and the City through work behaviors demonstrating the City’s values. Employees are also expected to lead by example and demonstrate the highest level of ethics.
  (This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change, subject to collective bargaining obligations, where applicable.)

Company Description

THE CITY:

The City of Newton is a wonderful place to live and work. Newton has safe and attractive neighborhoods, an excellent public school system, an active community life, multiple transportation systems, proximity to Boston and a well-managed and financially strong City government. The City of Newton has a population of approximately 88,900, with 32,600 housing units and occupies a land area of 18.3 square miles. Newton is principally suburban-residential in character. Unlike many other communities that are established around a single Main Street or downtown, Newton is comprised of thirteen distinctive villages. Newton has a diversified economic base with approximately 4,700 establishments employing approximately 79,500 people. Newton is special in many ways. It is home to a variety of private secondary and post-secondary schools including a portion of Boston College, Lasell University, William James College, Hebrew College, and the UMass Amherst – Mount Ida Campus.  The longest stretch of the Boston Marathon runs through the City, including the well-known Heartbreak Hill. Newton-Wellesley Hospital, part of the Mass General Brigham health care system, serves as an important partner to the City. In September 2018, Newton was again ranked #1 in Massachusetts as the best place to live and #12 in the U.S.

OUR GOVERNMENT:

Newton has what is known as a “strong Mayor” form of government with the Mayor having the executive and administrative powers of the City. The legislative branch is comprised of 24 City Councilors. Mayor Ruthanne Fuller was sworn in on January 1, 2018 after serving on the City Council. She ran on a platform of providing Newton’s children with a top-notch education in an inclusive environment where empty nesters, seniors, young families, and people of diverse incomes can live together in vibrant villages and neighborhoods. Mayor Fuller is committed to keeping Newton safe, improving the city’s infrastructure, addressing climate change, providing excellent and responsive city services, and fostering art, culture and community life. The first female Mayor of Newton, she is a tireless advocate for all the city’s residents and is committed to making sure the city is welcoming, inclusive and diverse. The City of Newton was evaluated by Moody’s Investors Services in February 2020 and assigned its highest rating of AAA. Newton was thus well-positioned to weather the pandemic and economic downturn.

AS AN EMPLOYER:

The City of Newton believes that its employees are its greatest asset.  To that end, we are committed to supporting our employees by providing competitive wages and growth, a comprehensive benefits package which includes a defined municipal pension plan, quality health and dental insurance plans, generous paid leave benefits, paid holidays, and access to supplemental benefits such as deferred compensation, short term disability plans, flexible spending accounts, and other employee benefits.  We also provide access to an Employee Assistance Program and access to employee training and professional development opportunities.  We continuously work to review and expand upon our benefit offerings.  We encourage you to visit our Human Resources Department website to learn more about our organization and benefits which are available to our employees.  And as always, you are encouraged to reach out to our dynamic HR Team by emailing hr@newtonma.gov.

Human Resources Diversity Statement

We recognize our workforce is a source of strength that is vital to our ability to effectively serve the City of Newton’s diverse community. We will:

•   Actively recruit, develop, and retain a diverse and talented workforce.
•   Proactively address discrimination through education and in partnership with other departments and leaders.
•   Serve as a role model to celebrate and nurture diversity.
•   Foster inclusion by staying curious and clarifying assumptions.
•   Evaluate and develop policies and practices that reflect the diverse nature of our workforce.
•   Build and strengthen accountability at all levels to support diversity efforts.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• 457 Deferred Compensation plans
• Metro Credit Union
• Verizon Wireless discount
• Employee Assistance Program
• Generous paid leave time benefits and paid holidays.
• City Retirement (Mandatory)
• Weekly Direct Deposit
• Opportunity to serve the public and join a dynamic team of dedicated employees